On 15 August 1996 the former 'minister' of the self-styled republic of northern Cyprus, Kenan Akin, took part in the murder of the Greek Solomon Solomou during a peaceful demonstration in the no man's land in Cyprus. The violent dispersal of this demonstration left many people injured and culminated in the murder of the Greek demonstrator. Since then an international Interpol arrest warrant has been pending against Kenan Akin. Furthermore, the European Parliament adopted a resolution (B4-0994, 1024, 1039, 1043, 1058 and 1073/96)(1) after these events in which it called 'on Turkey to cooperate by taking all necessary measures to identify, arrest and bring to justice all those implicated in the murders and firing at unarmed civilians'.

Recently the wanted man was arrested in Istanbul on smuggling charges, but was released despite Interpol's arrest warrant.

Will the Council say what measures it intends to take to prevail upon Turkey to respect its international commitments and the obligations derived from its undertakings to the European Union and to execute the warrant for the arrest and extradition of Kenan Akin forthwith?